Page 83 of Playing With Fire
I have so many questions, but my immediate thought is of my daughter. “I should get home to Serafina.”
Hudson places his forearm on the console, palm up, giving me the option to take his hand for comfort or not. I’m fidgety, but I slide my fingers between his, instantly feeling better.
“Neither of us should drive tonight. When the adrenaline runs out, we’re going to be exhausted. Serafina’s safe and I doubt Greg’s going to miss his precious banquet tomorrow. We can leave first thing in the morning.” I take a deep breath, willing my heart rate to slow down as Hudson keeps giving instructions. “Type a quick email to your attorneys telling them you want a custody agreement in place ASAP, call your mom to let her know what’s going on and give her the number to your prepaid phone, and then turn your main phone off.”
I do as he says and once it’s done, I’ve collected myself enough to start asking questions.
“Where are you staying?” I guess that one comes out first because that’s where we’re heading.
“My friend, Knox, has a beach house down here.”
“I thought you said you haven’t been to the beach since Will died.” I shudder, remembering the words Gregor said about Hudson wishing he’d been in the car that night, and I start to get angry all over again.
“I haven’t,” he admits and I squeeze his hand. “But I’m glad I came back…it’d been too long.”
“So, you’re doing okay with it?” I can’t take my eyes off Hudson as he navigates effortlessly back toward the house we’ll be staying in together tonight.
He turns and flashes me a genuine smile. “Yeah, I’mdoing okay with it. I heard his voice when I was in the ocean and it’s been a while for that too.”
“Hud, that makes me really happy. It sounds like a really special moment.”
He grins. “It was.”
Then the rest of his sentence catches up to me. “Wait, you got in the ocean? Isn’t it freezing?”
“It really wasn’t bad. You should try it when we get back. Find your calm. Ride the waves. Move with the tide. It’ll help clear your head. Especially since you find so much peace in the ocean like I do.”
I didn’t have a chance to see the ocean when I arrived at the resort because it’s a golf resort tucked back away from the coastline. What’s the point of spending the money for a resort in the Outer Banks if you’re not even able to enjoy the ocean views?
But I have them now.
Standing on a deserted beach at nine-thirty at night with the stars high above and their light reflected in the ocean below, Hudson’s arms wrap around me as I inhale and exhale to the rhythm of the small waves. It’s so calm right now and the soothing effect on my fried nervous system is immediate.
“I’m ready,” I tell Hudson, stepping out of his embrace. He brought towels down for us and is getting back in with me.
“Honestly, I think the water is warmer than the air temperature,” he says casually as he makes his way to the tide line.
“Ought to feel lovely getting out then,” I answer sarcastically.
“Don’t worry about getting out. Just focus on being in,” he replies, already up to his thighs in the water.
I do as he says, forgetting about the temperature and focusing on my other senses. The sounds, the smell of the saltwater, the taste of it as I wipe my face. Once I make it to where Hudson is standing, the water is at my waist and I bend backwards to submerge my head. When I break the surface, Hudson is there, pulling me to him.
“If you want this moment to yourself, I’ll give you space, but you look so beautiful I had to make sure you were real.”
“Never stop touching me,please,” I beg as he lifts me up, my ankles locking around his back like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
In spite of everything going on, I smile and melt into his embrace, but our moment is cut short when my teeth start chattering.
“Let’s get you inside and warmed up,” Hudson breathes against my ear giving mygoosebumpsgoosebumps.
Wrapped in our towels, we rinse our feet so we don’t spread sand throughout Knox’s house and head straight for the heat of the indoor shower. I’m surprised at the size since the house itself isn’t that big.
“Knox is a big guy. Bigger than me,” Hudson explains, rubbing his hands up and down my towel-clad arms to warm me while we wait for the hot water to kick in. “I hope to introduce you to them soon.”
“I’d like that,” I tell him with a smile.
“My girlfriend should know my best friends.” Hudson’s wearing the cheesiest grin as he uses the wordgirlfriend,and I don’t bother stifling my laugh. “And my sister,” he continues. “And my girlfriend shoulddefinitelycome to the company picnic this summer…if she wants to,” he adds with a slight wince, realizing I just escaped a company dinner I had no desire to attend.
